[Simulated suicide by hanging after homicidal strangulation]. / Vortäuschung einer suizidalen Selbsterhängung nach vorausgegangener Drosselung durch fremde Hand.

Homicides by hanging and the simulation of suicide by hanging a victim previously killed or made unable to resist by other means are regarded as extremely rare events, although especially in German forensic literature cases of this kind were repeatedly reported. The paper adds another example to the number of observations published so far: A 23-year-old student strangled his 58-year-old father with an electric cable until he ceased to show any signs of life. Then he hanged the victim at the handrail of the staircase with a running noose. From the forensic point of view the following clues pointed to homicide: presence of massive signs of facial congestion in spite of the "typical" situation of hanging, horizontal ligature mark in addition to the noose mark, skin injuries at the head and the upper extremities, traces of blood near the place where the body was found. The case history presented emphasizes again that for differential diagnosis the possibility of a dissimulated homicide has to be considered in all cases where a body is found suspended.

[Pharmacokinetic interactions between alcohol and acetylsalicylic acid]. / Pharmakokinetische Wechselwirkungen zwischen Alkohol und Acetylsalicylsäure.

Twelve healthy test subjects ingested 0.75 g alcohol/kg body weight in 500 ml carbon dioxide-free mineral water and 1,000 mg powdered acetylsalicylic acid (on average, 13.1 mg/kg body weight) on an empty stomach at 9 a.m. to test the interaction between alcohol and acetylsalicylic acid. Whereas acetylsalicylic acid does not have any effect on the kinetics of alcohol, alcohol effects the metabolism of acetylsalicylic acid. However, an additional restriction of psychophysical performance was not observed.

[Epidemiologic studies of the effect of alcohol and drugs on psychophysical performance]. / Epidemiologische Untersuchungen über den Einfluss von Alkohol und Arzneimitteln auf die psychophysische Leistungsfähigkeit.

In this new epidemiological investigation, it is first of all observed that the proportion of chemical toxicological investigations instituted by the police in the area served by the Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Tübingen, has not risen despite increases in the use or abuse of drugs and alcohol consumption although 80 per cent of those concerned are car and motorcycle drivers. On the other hand, is has been noticed in recent years that such investigations are instituted especially when the level of blood alcohol measured does not explain the actual condition of the person concerned. Just under 20 per cent of the affected persons denied consumption of a drug, and more than half admitted the use of a drug. Just under one fifth admitted using two drugs. The remainder used three and four agents. In about half of all cases, the statements were confirmed by the result of the chemical toxicological investigations. In contrast to an investigations of our own, the confirmation of the admissions does not correlate with the rising blood alcohol content. About 63 per cent of the 676 cases investigated had taken analgesics, beta blockers or calcium antagonists, hypnotics or sedatives, gastrointestinal agents and psychoactive agents. The percentage of active agents from the benzodiazepine group, which is subject to the Narcotics Law, is especially great. Finally, the blood and urinary levels of benzodiazepines and individual psychoactive agents measured as well as the pertinent blood and urinary alcohol values were compared with the constellations described in the medical examination and the divergences from the data obtained experimentally are discussed.

[Statistical evaluation of 60,000 blood alcohol values from 1964 to 1983. III. Multiple convictions]. / Statische Auswertung von 60,000 Blutalkoholbefunden der Jahre 1964 bis 1983. III. Mitteilung: Mehrfachtäter.

Between the years 1964 and 1983, 59,226 blood samples with appropriate blood-alcohol concentrations (BAC greater than 0.1 g/kg) were investigated at the Institute for Forensic Medicine at the University of Tübingen. These originated from 47,416 different "culprits", of whom 38,851 (81.9%) were first offenders and 8,565 (18.1%) multiple offenders. The total number of crimes committed by the latter group reached as many as 13. There were fewer women amongst the recurring offenders, the maximum number of offences in this group was 4. The age of the multiple offenders at the time of their first brush with the law was lower than that of single culprits. Their blood-alcohol level at the first offence was similar to that of single offenders, however it increased slightly with each subsequent time. Homotropic traffic offenders were mainly only represented in the group with the lower crime rate. Most multiple offenders proved to be criminal delinquents who were frequently conspicuous not only for criminal--but also for criminal--and traffic violations. In about half the cases the time intervals between 2 offences was under 3 years.

[Suicide with a supposedly safe plant growth regulator]. / Selbsttötung mit einem als unschädlich geltenden Pflanzenwachstumsregler.

The suicide of a young man with the plant growth regulator Cycocel (chlorocholine chloride and choline chloride) is reported. Morphological and toxicological findings are presented. According to the manufacturers this product is harmless. So far cautionary labelling is not required. A discussion is given on whether such active substances should be subject to stricter controls.

[Air embolism or putrefaction? Gas analysis findings and their interpretation]. / Luftembolie oder Fäulnis? Gasanalytische Befunde und ihre Interpretation.

Gas was detected in the hearts of 111 necropsy cases. The gas was quantified and then analyzed by gas chromatography. In 70 cases H2, a clear marker of putrefaction, could be identified in the samples. After critical consideration, air embolism was accepted in 36 of the remaining cases. In nearly all instances, severe skull trauma or stab wounds to the neck or clavicular region gave rise to the air embolism. When the gas analysis data were compared, clear-cut differences were found between the two groups of putrefaction and air embolism. CO2 concentrations below 15%, N2 concentrations above 70%, and a CO2/N2 ratio below 0.2 proved to be good criteria to determine an air embolism. However, gas volumes, O2 concentrations, and CO2/O2 ratios largely overlapped in the two groups. Air embolism samples consistently had lower O2 concentrations and higher CO2 concentrations than atmospheric air, and this was evidently independent from incipient putrefaction. We suggest that these deviations result from a gas exchange between the venous blood and the embolized air volume taking place in the right heart ventricle. The dimensions of the concentration shifts may be understood from severe agonal hypoxia and hypercapnia.

[Brain changes in parathion poisoning: observations in 42 cases]. / Hirnveränderungen bei Parathion-Vergiftung: Beobachtungen in 42 Fällen.

A total of 42 cases were examined neuropathologically to determine possible toxic changes occurring in the brain after parathion intoxication. Sporadic anoxic alterations were observed in 7% of 41 cases in which the cause of death was acute intoxication. Nearly all cases (93%), however, showed marked hyperemia, often coupled with small reactionsless, periventricular hemorrhages which occurred in 40% of the cases. In one third of the cases (33%) there was moderate swelling of the oligodendroglia. Whereas histological evidence of edema was found in nearly one third of the cases (30%), comparison of the brain weights in these subjects with those of a large comparative collective showed definite pathologic brain weights in only five cases (12%) with 95% confidence limits. It is true that in 18 cases (42%) the brain weight was above the normal value if the confidence limit is ignored. Pronounced anoxic alterations were observed in only one case in which the individual survived the acute intoxication for 4 weeks after initial respiratory arrest. Predominantly toxic changes, however, could not be detected in any of the cases examined. This negative morphologic finding does not agree with the physiologic alterations reported by other investigators using animal models; they considered the cause of death in cases of parathion intoxication to be the result of toxic paralysis of the respiratory center. The literature was discussed.